1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of treating tailings ponds to reduce the attendant adverse environmental impacts thereof and, specifically, to a method for capping a tailings pond which receives fines-containing aqueous effluent from an industrial process to prevent wind driven dusting.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Throughout the Western part of the United States, and other areas where mining activities have previously or are presently occurring, there are thousands of acres of tailings ponds which are subject to "dusting" and the creation of dust storms when accessed by high winds. These ponds are created from finely ground waste ore that has been incorporated into a liquid slurry, pumped to a dammed land area and allowed to settle and dry. In the case of active mining operations, aqueous fines-containing effluent is pumped to the tailings pond area where the water is allowed to collect and clear. The cleared water is then pumped back to the mining operation. A part of these large pond areas are allowed to dry up, so that tailings are maintained at a constant level.
Natural sludge also exists in disposal ponds at various other industrial process sites around the world. The tailings ponds of the phosphate industry in Florida, of the tar sands industry in Canada, and the bauxite industry in Jamaica are three of a virtual multitude of examples in which tailings ponds continue to adversely affect the environment in various manners despite the best efforts of those skilled in the art to significantly improve the problem. The present invention, while applicable to virtually all man-made and naturally occurring disposal ponds made from fines-containing aqueous effluent, sludges and slimes, is discussed in the particular context of ore mining operations in which fines-containing aqueous effluent is pumped to a tailings pond and allowed to settle and dry.
In the case of ore mining operations, especially in the Western part of the United States, mining companies are being faced with increasing environmental regulation and political pressure, in some cases facing shutdown unless they are able to control tailings ponds to prevent dusting. Increased population pressures in the Western United States, make it imperative that an economic solution be found to neutralize the adverse environmental impact of tailings ponds.
The present invention has as its object to provide an effective and economical method for forming a coating or capping material that can be easily applied to the surface of tailings ponds to prevent ore fines from becoming airborne.